Type-writing machine.



mamemnm. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. AIPLIGATIOH IILE D APR. 3, I907.

Patented Mar. 14, 191.1.

4 SHEET S-SHBET 1.

) awe/whoa A 'vM WJQQ A M g I I attommi 0. 1?. LAGANKE.

TYPE WRITING MAGHINE. APPLICATION P'ILBD KPR. 3, 1907.

986,471, Patented Mar. 14, 1911. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wiztmeooeq V v I I 1 I v/ (1H0 u l'u G. F. LAGANKE.

' TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION TILEDAPB. 311901.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

4 BHEETSBHEET 3.

wi/tmaooao I wardly between two' banks of key levers so.

mounted that while they establish an opera- UNITED STATES OFFICE.

onnnnns n. nAcANKn, on HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELL'Iocr'r- FISHER COMPANY. or NEW roan, N. Y., A GORPQRATION' or DELAWARE.-

Specification of Letters ratcnt. Application filed April 3, 1907. Serial No. 366,175.

TYPE-WRITING- MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 14., 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LAGANKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new 'and useful Type-Writin Machine, of which In some forms of machines the keyboard has been located in advance of the printing point of the machine a 'd has thus obstructed the operators view 0 the writing. In another form the keyboard?! has been placed above'fthe type bars with a view to securing greater visibility, but this arrangement results in an undesirable elevation of the keyboard from the writing plane and also causes the work to be more or less overshadowed, so that neither the advantage of a low keyboard or of c'ompletevisibility is secured. In still another form an efiort has been made to secure the advantages of a low keyboard by arranging the type bars in a rearwardly opening crescent so that the bars strike downwardly and rearwardly. This presents the printing point too far fromthe keyboard, and a series of upstanding type bars' obstruct the View, which is only ren-' dered slightly better if the type bars are separated into spaced groups, as the field of view thus secured is only of indiiferentproportions at best.

In accordance with my present invention, the keyboard is placed as close to the writ ing plane as the movementof the type bar operating connections will permit. The type barsa-re arrangedin a forwardly opening crescent'above the rear ended? the key levers and strike downwardly and fortive connection between astandard keyboard and a continuous segmental seriesv of type bars, theyleave a considerable unobstructed ace or opening through which a considers a le portion of the Writing is visible. Thearrangement thus results in the attainment of the objects stated, tofl-wit, the production of a low keyboard and the securing of visibility without necessitating a considerable interval between the keyboard and the print ing point;

Other 0 jects, subordinate to those stated, willappe r as the succeeding description of the igeus ated embodiment of the invention is de ed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 .is a plan View of the machine mounted on a flat platen, certain elements of the machine structure being omitttd, and the keyboard being indicated in dotted lines. Fig.

2 is a plan view,.'on .a somewhat enlarged scale, of the carriage and a portion of the machine frame, the arrangement of the key levers being clearly shown. Fig. 3 isalongitudinal sectional view through the'm'achine and platen. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section througha portion of the platen,.one of the tracks and the adjacent portion of the machine frame, and Fig; 5 is a plan view of the carriage with the type bars in section.

Each part is indicated by the same reference character wherever shown.

1 indicates a flat platen provided with a rubber or other suitable writing surfaeeQ. Along the opposite side edges of the platen extend, as usual, tracks or guides 3. -The guides 3 serve to support and guide the ma chine frame 4, the side members 5 of which are interfitted with the guides 3, as shown in Fig.4. The front and rearmembers or rails 6 and 7 of the machine frame serve to connect the side members 5 and constitute front and rear carriage guides for a traveling carriage 8.. As usual-in this type of machines, the machine frame 4 travels longitudinally of the platen 1 to line space the Writing, and the carria e 8 travels transversely of the platen on t e frame 4 to letter space the writing. I

The manner in which the carriage 8 is mounted, propelled and controlled is immaterial, so far as the presentinvention is concerned. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the carriage is mounted on rollers 9 which facilitate its movement along the guides 6 and 7, and in Fig. 1 is indicated a art of an ordinary type of carriage propel ing mechanism, which includes tapes 10 connected to the carriage and wound upon spring drums, not shown.

, In accordance wlth my invention, the carriage comprises side plates 11, a rear end plate 12, a bottom plate 13, located at the rear end of the carria e and having an arcuate front ed e 14, and a transverse comb or ke lever guide 15 which extends between the side plates 11 at a point-in advance of the front carriage guide 6. These elements, related in the manner shown, serve to form a light, smoothly running rigid frame of skeleton form.

In advance of the front edge 14 of the bottom plate 13 and concentric therewith,-

but in a slightly higher plane than said plate, is disposed a segmental, preferably. semi-circular, type-bar supporting-plate, or,

as it is sometimes called, the t pe-bar fulcrum-plate 16, having lateraly extended ends 17 securely bolted tothe side plates 11 and adding additional strength to the frame structure of the carriage. To the upper side of the plate 16 is attached a series of equidistant fulcrum brackets 18 disposed radially with respect to the center from which the segmental or arcuate plate 16 is struck. In the brackets 18 are ful crumed a series of type bars 19 equipped with one or more types which are presentable at a common printing point at the surface of the platen when the arms are swung down from their normal upright positions indicated in Fig. 3. Immediately in rear of the plate and securied to the under side thereof is another seiLies of fulcrum brackets 20 likewise disposed adially with respect to the plate 16 and dis oscd in alternating arrangement With th brackets 18. .In the brackets 20 are fulcrumed a second series of type bars 21 which, like the bars 19., are provided with one or more types presentable at the printing point by the downward swingin of the bars, it being understood of course t at the entire complement of type bars are arranged to print at the same point.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the complement of type bars is arranged in a forwardly opening cresent sha e se mental, arouate or semi-circular ban: so tiat all of said bars print at a vpoint in advance of the points at which the ars are fulcrumed.

The lower end 22 of each t pe bar ex tends downwardly and rearwar 1y from the fulcrum of the bar and-is connected by a link or .push rod 23 to thc rear end of one of a complement of key levers 24 at the tended inwardly to theinner mum visibility, these front ends of which are located the keys 25 having any suitable arrangement, but preferably that of the keyboard of an ordinary ty ewriting machine. t

he key levers 24 are arranged in two side series or banks 26-,and 27, spaced 8. art in a manner to produce an interm iate o eningLwhiplr; in the present embodiment V o the 1nvent1 on,is approximately'diamondshaped, so that the'maximum' separation of the banks of levers occurs at the line of writing, the printingl point being indicated in the drawings by t e letter P. The levers of the respective banks 26 and 27 are ful erumed at points in advance of the line of writing upon fulcrum plates or lever supportin plates 28 and 29 suitably secured to the si e plates 11 ofthe carria e and exges of the In order to secure maxilates 28 and 29 are separate and distinct e ements, spaced apart by a considerable interval, but it is obvious banks of levers.

that if desired, a single plate extendin entirely across the carria e may be uti ized for the support of the levers, rovided its configuration is such that it oes not obstruct the operators view of the line of writing, or that portion thereof which is exposed between the two banks of levers.

The manner of mounting-the key levers on the plates is immateria, but, as shown in the drawings, a convenient arrangement is to fulcrum the levers in brackets 30 grouped on the plates in sta gered relation. The levers 24 are downwar 1y inclined in rear of the fulcrums thereof so that while the front ends of the levers are sufiiciently elevated above the platen to accommodate the key stroke, the rear ends of said levers will be normally located closely adjacent to the platen in order to bring the fulcrums of the type bars as near the writing plane as may be consistent with the mountlng of the bars above the levers;

As shown in Fig. 2, all of the levers of each bank are laterally deflected somewhat, but the degree of deflection varies'with-the The use of levers of this several levers. character is made necessary by the fact that the keys are all regularly spaced and that the type bars are also spaced in a definite.

order upon the fulcrum plate. It is apparent that since the levers connect the uni-v formly spaced keys and the uniformly spaced type'bars, and since the two banks of levers are separated by a considerable 1nterval at the reading line, the lovers must be of more or less irregular form, as'their front and rear ends must be regularly, spaced apart, while a very wlde intervalmust occur at the reading line between certa1n levers of the complement. A ve convenient and compact arrangement is t at shown in the drawings. The front ends 24 of all of the levers extend forwardly from the comb and are parallel and substan-.

tially equidistant. The intermediate portions 24: extending between the comb and the reading line are divided into groups or banks which diverge,.but the units of each bank converge rearwardly. The'rear ends 2% of the levers. of each bank extending from the reading line to the typevbar 0on nections are rearwardly divergent, but the rear ends of the two banks converge rearwardly from the writing line. It wil'l thus be seen that the. two banks of levers converge in opposite directions from the reading line andthat the width of the entire complement of levers at the .reading line'is little if any greater than the width of the keyboard, notwithstanding the fact that a considerable portion of the line of writ-ing, at and upon opposite sides of the printing point, is exposed to the view of the operator.

The manner in which line spacing and letter spacing is secured is immaterial, so far as the present invention .isconcerned. The machine frame and carriage may be advanced manually step-by-step longitudinally and transversely, respectively, of the platen. It is contemplated, however, to pro nisni for advancing the frame longitudinally of the platen and to control the letter space advance of the carriage by a suitable form of escapement mechanism operated from the construction and operation of my type-.

writer will be clearly comprehended, but while the present embodiment of the invention appears at this time to be preferable, I wish to be understood as reserving the right 'to effect such changes, modifications and variations of the illustrated structure as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is r 1. In a typewriter, the combination with keys, of key-operated type bars mounted in rear of the keys, on a forwardly opening arc concentric with a common. printing point located intermediate of the type bars and keys, operating connections extended between the keys and type bars and arranged in banks laterally spaced 'at the printing vide some usual form of line spacing mechap 'nt to render the latter visible to the opera or, and a platen below saidconnections.

2 In a typewriter, the combination with a t 3e bar support, of type bars arranged in a f0 wardly opening arcuate series on the support and having a common printing point; keys located in advance of the printing point, operating connections extending rearwardly from the keys to the type bars and arranged in groups or banks spaced apart to permit the operator to View the writing at and adjacent to the printing point, and a platen having its writing surface located in a lower plane than said operating connections.

3. In a'typewriter, the combination with ,a forwardly opening crescent-shaped series of type bars having a common printing point, of keys located in front of the type bars, operating connections including key levers arranged in groups. or banks deflected laterally in opposite directions to permit the operator to view the work at and adjacent to the printing said connections.

at. In a typewriter, the combination with a forwardly opening crescent-shaped series of type bars, of keys located in front of the bars, operating connections, including key levers, located at opposite sides of the printing point and converging in opposite direcpoint, and a platen below' tions from the line of writing, and a platen below said connections.

5. In a typewriter, the combination with a forwardly opening crescent-shaped series of downwardly acting type bars having a common printing point, of keys, and operating connections including key levers ar ranged in banks converging in opposite direct-ionsfrom the writing line, the levers of a given bank diverging in opposite directions from the writing line.

6. In a typewriter, the combination with a Hat platen, of keys, type bars, and intermediate horizontally disposed operating connections all mounted above the platen, and types mounted onf the type bars and movable downwardly between certain of the operating connections to the platen.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a flat platen, ofj'a forwardly opening crescent-shapedserie of type bars, keys.

and intermediate operating connections all mounted above the platen, said operating connections being a ,ranged in groups or banks spaced apafiyto expose the printing point of the plate and types mounted on the type bars and movable downwardly and forwardly between the banks of connections to the platen.

8. In a typewriter, the combination With a flat platen, of a forwardly opening crescent-shaped series of type bars, a keyboard including a key for each bar, and operating including series of normally upstanding type bars 'mounted above the platenand arranged to swing forwardly and downwardl to the 15 latch, ke s arranged to operatet e type and located in f-ro t of the type bars and in anlbwe'r' plane n the upper ends ofi the bars when theat ter are in normal up'stadding position an operating counec tibns extending betwee point toaccommodate the type arms.

- 10. In a typewriter, the combination with a flirt; platen, of a type bar'supportmountedin a plane above the platen, a forwardly opening cresce'ntshaped series of type bars fulcrumed; on the support, a/ series of keys located in front of the type bars, and operating connections connecting the keys and bar su port" and platen.

1'1'.- a typewriter, the combination witha flat platen, of a type'bar support mounted above the same; a-forwardly opening crescent-shaped; series of downwardly acting type bars fulci'umed on the support, keys mounted inadvance of the support, and; key

levers extended between the type bargsup port and platen from the keys and operativel'y connected to the type bars.

.12: In a typewriter, the combination: with a flat platen, of a type bar sup rt mounted" thereoveigtype bars fulcrume on the suport, keys located in advanceof the type a1" support, key' levers extend'ed'between "that bar sup ort and platen from the keys, and means coated in rear of the type bar support andoperatively' connecting the a type bars to the key levers. a 13 In-atypewriter, the combination with a type ba-r support and a series of'type bars mounted thereon, ofga key lever support 10- cated in advance of and in a plane below the typebar support, key levers fulcrumed on the key lever support, means for connecting the key levers with the type bars in rear ofthe type bar support, keys arand the type .V-key. levers ,ar-V V the keys and typebars and laterally spaced at the printing type= bars and extended between the type stationary fiat platen located below said-connecting means. a

14:. In a typewriter, the combination with a carriage comprising an open frame, of an arcuate type bar supporting plate extending across the frame and opening toward the front side thereof, aseries of type bars fulcrulned on-said plate and arranged-to swing forwardly below the plane of the plate, a pair of laterally spaced fulcrum plates extended inwardly from the opposite sides of the frame, banks of key levers fulcrumed on the fulcrum plates and operatively connected tothe type bars, and keys located in advanceof the-fulcrums of the key levers and' arranged to operate the latter.

15. In atypewriter, the combination with a forwardlyopening, arcuate, type-bar supponting pl'ate, of forwardly swinging type bars 'fulcrumed on said plate in staggered arrangementytwo laterally spaced banks of ke levers, thelev'e s of each bank being fu crumed in stagg ed arrangement in advanceof the type ba supporting plate, keys for the key levers, nd a platen below said levers; i h

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a series of type bars mounted in a uniformly spaced forwardly opening arcuate series and having a comm on printing point, of a keyboard including uniforml'yspaced keys, and operating connections extending between the type bars and keys, the front and rear ends of said connections being spaced to conform tothe uniran ed to operate the key levers, and aformly spaced type bars and keys and said;

.connections being divided into widely separated banks at the printing point.

F7. The combination with a stationary flat platen, of a printing mechanism mounted to travel in twodirections thereover, said printing mechanism including a forwardly opening crescent-shaped series of. normally upstanding, downwardly acting type a keyboard located 'in advance of the typ bars, and operating connections extending from the keys to the type bars and arranged in separated banks at the writing line. In testimony, that I clainnthe foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature inthe preseyepf-tavo witnesses CHAR-LES F. LAGANKE.

Witnesses zp 7 JOHN A. SMITH,

Himnsn'r- D. BALTON.

copies of this patent niay he obtained for five oents'cach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D: G. 

